title: Advanced precancerous lesions in the liver.
abstract: We will focus on precursors of the most common liver cancer, i.e. hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which takes place in 90% of cases in a hepatitis/cirrhotic setting. High grade dysplastic nodules (HG-DN) are small sizable nodules and the most advanced precancerous lesions of the liver, with a risk of malignant transformation of about 30-40% at 24 months. We will survey the diagnostic distinction between them and early HCC from a clinical, radiological and pathological point of view. The use of a diagnostic algorithm supported by international guidelines is the best practice to manage HG-DN and early HCC. There is no typical imaging for HG-DN, needing all of them to be biopsied for characterization. The natural history of HG-DN is not predictable in individual cases and additional markers should be validated to increase the diagnostic accuracy and predict the behaviour. The treatment of HG-DN is under investigation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine and Unit of Pathology, University of Milan and Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Via Manzoni 56, 20089 Rozzano, Milan, Italy. luca.di_tommaso@humanitas.it
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Tommaso
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sangiovanni
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borzio
authors.forename: Young Nyun
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farinati
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roncalli
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers